Old Time Radio Espionage

Cloak and Dagger opened over the NBC network on May 7, 1950. It had a short run through the summer on Sundays, changing to Fridays after its summer run. The last show aired Oct. 22, 1950. The series told fictional stories of OSS agents during World War II who took dangerous missions behind enemy lines, knowing they may never return alive.

Are you ready to undertake a dangerous mission behind enemy lines? This week’s episode is titled "The People in the Forest". Broadcast June 11th, 1950.

Herbert Marshall played the role of British intelligent Agent, Ken Thurston. Like their counter parts in the FBI, this sophisticated drama would not only touch on conspiracy, spying and danger, but just about anything if “the price was right”. Travel around the world with “The Man Called X.”

In this episode, “The Silver Scarab”, Ken Thurston is on the trail of a pirate on the Red Sea. Broadcast June 19, 1947.

I Was a Communist for the FBI was an American espionage thriller radio series that ran from 1952 to 1954. Made without FBI cooperation, the series was adapted from the book by undercover agent Matt Cvetic, who was portrayed by Dana Andrews.

In this episode, “Red Red Herring”, Cvetic frames a loyal party member to protect himself. Broadcast May 14, 1952.

Suspense was one of radio's greatest series and its longest-running prime-time drama. "Radio's outstanding theater of thrills" was one of CBS' top-rated dramatic series and aired for two decades before ending its legendary run on September 30, 1962 -- the final evening of network radio drama.

This week’s episode, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge", is a shocking story about a Confederate spy who was caught during the Civil War. This episode was broadcast December 15, 1957 and starred Joseph Cotten and Harry Bartell.

"America's number one adventurer, K-7--former United States secret agent who operated in 22 countries, on land, on sea, and in the air--brings you a story today..."

”Secret Agent K-7 Returns” are fifteen minute episodes of mystery and espionage first broadcast in 1939. Agent K-7 is actually a rather mild-mannered narrator of these stories. He doesn't sound or seem very heroic or interesting... which would make him all the more effective as a spy! The spy's best disguise is a perfectly ordinary and uninteresting demeanor. The radio actors who brought these stories of men and women operatives to the radio are as unknown today as most of the real spies of that time.

Episode 3 of the series is titled “Information Peddler”.

Dangerous Assignment was a product of the Cold War, with mystery and intrigue cropping up across the globe. Steve Mitchell, an agent for an unnamed U.S. government agency, is dispatched to some exotic, faraway place at the beginning of each episode.

The third show of the series. Steve's off to Nigeria to obtain rights to a new manganese discovery. A good adventure yarn in darkest Africa. Starring Brian Donlevy as Steve, this episode was first broadcast July 23, 1949.

Orson Welles reprised his role of Harry Lime from the celebrated 1949 film adaptation of Graham Greene's novel The Third Man. The radio series is a "prequel" to the film, and depicts the many misadventures of con-artist Lime in a somewhat lighter tone than the character's villainy in the film.

In the second episode of the series, "See Naples and Live" Harry plans to heist a beautiful emerald locket from a Neapolitan socialite. Broadcast August 10, 1951.

Spy Catcher was based on the memoirs of Lt. Col. Oreste Pinto, a Dutch intelligence agent who worked for the Allied Counterintelligence Services in England during WWII - described by Eisenhower as "the greatest living expert in security".

It charted the exploits of Pinto and his team of investigators as they relentlessly tried to root out potential spies entering Britain.

This week’s episode of Spy Catcher is titled “Left Luggage”.

The Lux Radio Theater was one of the most important dramatic shows in radio. It had the biggest stars, the highest budgets, and the most acclaim. It had a full hour and, during its heyday, Hollywood's most prominent film director, Cecil B. DeMille, as host.

This episode, “O.S.S.” was broadcast November 18, 1946. Espionage, sabotage and action in occupied France during the war. Starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake.

Counterspy was an espionage drama radio series that aired on ABC and Mutual from May 18, 1942 to November 29, 1957. David Harding (Don MacLaughlin) was the chief of the United States Counterspies, a unit engaged during World War II in counterespionage against Japan's Black Dragon and Germany's Gestapo. With spies still lurking in the post-war years, the adventures continued well after World War II ended.

In this episode, “Washington Woman Spy”, a wealthy businessman in Washington, D. C. commits suicide after betraying his country. Broadcast June 8, 1942.

"America's number one adventurer, K-7--former United States secret agent who operated in 22 countries, on land, on sea, and in the air--brings you a story today..."

”Secret Agent K-7 Returns” are fifteen minute episodes of mystery and espionage first broadcast in 1939. Agent K-7 is actually a rather mild-mannered narrator of these stories. He doesn't sound or seem very heroic or interesting... which would make him all the more effective as a spy! The spy's best disguise is a perfectly ordinary and uninteresting demeanor. The radio actors who brought these stories of men and women operatives to the radio are as unknown today as most of the real spies of that time.

Episode 2 of the series is titled “Poisonous Gas”.

Cloak and Dagger opened over the NBC network on May 7, 1950. It had a short run through the summer on Sundays, changing to Fridays after its summer run. The last show aired Oct. 22, 1950. The series told fictional stories of OSS agents during World War II who took dangerous missions behind enemy lines, knowing they may never return alive.

Are you ready to undertake a dangerous mission behind enemy lines? This week’s episode is titled "The Brenner Pass". Broadcast June 4th, 1950.

I Was a Communist for the FBI was an American espionage thriller radio series that ran from 1952 to 1954. Made without FBI cooperation, the series was adapted from the book by undercover agent Matt Cvetic, who was portrayed by Dana Andrews.

In this episode, “Little Red Schoolhouse”, plans are made to subvert a small American college. This program was also used as an audition program for the series. Broadcast May 7, 1952.

Herbert Marshall played the role of British intelligent Agent, Ken Thurston. Like their counter parts in the FBI, this sophisticated drama would not only touch on conspiracy, spying and danger, but just about anything if “the price was right”. Travel around the world with “The Man Called X.”

In the first episode, “Expedition to Antarctica”, an authority on uranium deposits, Dr. Stuart Dawson, has been thrown overboard while en route to Antarctica. Broadcast April 3, 1947.

Orson Welles reprised his role of Harry Lime from the celebrated 1949 film adaptation of Graham Greene's novel The Third Man. The radio series is a "prequel" to the film, and depicts the many misadventures of con-artist Lime in a somewhat lighter tone than the character's villainy in the film.

In this first episode of the series, "Too Many Crooks" Harry gets a telegram from a banker in Budapest, asking for help from an upcoming bank robbery! Broadcast August 3, 1951.

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